Recruitment will begin in the spring for a new Mississippi State fraternity.
The group, Sigma Nu was the only fraternity offered an invitation to colonize on the MSU campus out of three groups who presented to the Interfraternity Council. All of the fraternity chapter presidents, the IFC president and others from the IFC voted to extend the invitation to Sigma Nu, former IFC president Daniel Stanton said.
Stanton said one of the main reasons Sigma Nu was chosen by himself and others was for the fraternity’s plan to colonize.
“They have the most comprehensive plan for developing a new colony,” Stanton said. “They have a representative from their national organization that will come and live here in Starkville all of next semester.”
David Aurich, assistant director of student life, said the fraternity’s involved plan is something that appealed to him as well.
“I think a lot of people feel that you can’t just bring in a consultant for three or four weeks,” Aurich said.
The representative will live in Starkville the whole spring semester to train the new founders of the MSU chapter in recruiting procedures and how to effectively start the chapter, Aurich said.
Sigma Nu is also unique in that it has a strict no hazing policy, Aurich added.
“I think Sigma Nu will be good for teaching other fraternities other ways of doing things,” Aurich said. “Sigma Nu will show that hazing has no part in Greek life.”
Assistant student life director Heidie Lindsey said Sigma Nu will add a great opportunity for leadership for men on the MSU campus.
“They’ll recruit men who are already leaders and have high academic achievements,” Lindsey said. “I think they’ll challenge, in a good way, some of our other fraternities.”
Aurich said he is excited about Sigma Nu and the opportunities it will offer.
“Members will have the benefit of being in a positive fraternity and building it from the ground up,” Aurich said.
Stanton said the prospect of having a house on campus has not been discussed yet.
“The decision as to where a house will be and where a house will be will come after the members are established,” Stanton said.
Vice president for student affairs Bill Kibler said Sigma Nu’s arrival is an “exciting and a good thing.”
“They’re a long established, well-known fraternity,” Kibler said. “They will probably raise the bar for all the fraternities.”
Greek life offers great opportunities for students to be involved and participate in leadership and philanthropic activities, Kibler said.
For more information about the Sigma Nu fraternity, go to www.sigmanu.com.
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